Goodmark coming out with rear body brace (floor pan brace) in the spring but can't wait that long. Want to fix mine or make a new one. Anybody got, or know where to get a dimensioned drawing?

I think you can find that brace at other suppliers...I just picked up yesterday the trunk braces and there were several other brace sets available. Mine's a '66 Chevelle, but try Classic Chevy-Jim Dryer Parts, Stockton, CA.

Good luck

Far as I know they are not available for a 70. You talking repo's or used? This place got a web site or phone #? I'll try and find one from the info you provided.

Found their web site :( . Front and center braces....no rear....Anybody else. I can make one or fix mine but need some good dimensions.

Come on....nobody no where to get the dimensions for one of these. Nobody ever had one made before. Somebodys gotta know something.

Are you talking about trunk braces?
http://www.chevelle.com/catalog.asp?action=category&id=396

rear or back floor pan brace. The one that goes under the rear seat floor pan.

Mike; I'm in the samw boat as you are. I need
a rear under seat floor pan brace for my
64 convert. I've emailed every salvage yard on
the east coast but no responces. I'm not waiting
anymore. I'm going to get some posterboard
a tape measure and start replicating whats
left of the original. The shape of the brace may have to be made up in 2 halves and then welded
in the center. Don't no what else to do but
i'm not getting anywhere just looking at it.

I'm ready to do the same but am a little worried about the location of the body mount holes. Mine are rusted to the point that I can't tell the exact location. Suppose I could make them close and oversized and then use some of them repair washers for the frame once I set the body back down for line up. How's that sound....just thought of it.

I have one I got out of another car and haven't installed yet. I can send a picture or can get some dimensions for you.

gary

Gary; I
Thanks for the responce. I sure would like to
see what you have, and I bet Mike would to.
I just dont understand why the aftermarket
guys dont manufacture this brace. I mean if
they got the templates for the other two floorbraces, why neglect this one. I've owned
car for 36 years and now that my two kids are out
of college i can free up time and money to restore
my car. But it's been a little bit of a challenge
finding a few "obscure" parts for this car. This
floorbrace is the last piece I need, so you're
help would be greatly appreciated. thanks again.

A picture would be great. And dimensions of the body mount holes and their locations would be very much appreiated. It is out of a 71? Thanks for the reply all. And any help is greatly appreciated.

This is what the damage on mine looks like. Started repairing it today. Could still use some dimensions. http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/Ghart321/Im000695.jpg http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/Ghart321/Im000696.jpg

Mike; I spent all day saturday in the garage
i'd still be out there if my wife didn't
drag me out. Are the measurements on the braces the amount you removed? Mine are almost exactly
like yours.Year one has partial center floor braces that I was considering fabricating onto my rear brace. Probally would need to relocate the mounting hole for the mount though. Just a thought
What do you think.

The measurments are location referance for reinstallation. I am using pieces from the old center brace to "patch" this one up. I'll post pix when I am done. These pix are of the ends only. The rest is in pretty good (usable) shape. I am holding off drilling the holes, maybe some one can post some dimensions. Otherwise I will try to get dimensions off the "better" side, that still has the hole.

Here's what one end looks like now. Didn't turn out too bad. Still needs body mount hole drilled. Metal from the old middle brace was used to patch it up. http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/Ghart321/Im000701.jpg
After
http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/Ghart321/Im000695.jpg
Before

wow looks great! graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Mike,

Here are the pictures with some dimensions (tape measure). The holes are 48" apart and about 5 7/8" from the flange that attaches to the inner rocker.

www.chevelles.com/showroom/rearbrace.jpg (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/rearbrace.JPG)
www.chevelles.com/showroom/rearbrace2.jpg (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/rearbrace2.JPG)
www.chevelles.com/showroom/rearbrace4.jpg (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/rearbrace4.JPG)

Hope this helps! I can E-mail the high resolution pictures if you need them.

Gary

Thanks Tom

Thanks for the pix Gary. The hole for the body mount in yours seems very small from the pix. I thought they should be 5/8" or 3/4".

Mike;Nice job repairing that brace. How are the
inner rocker panels on your car?

Thanks Rich

Inner rockers are bad. I've got new metal for them from a local sheet metal shop. Made them out of drops from under their sheer and then bent them. I got them for free :D . Once I get the other side of the brace repaired and installed (just with sheet metal screws to start) then I'll go after the inner rockers on one side, then the floor pans.

This one came from a Cutlass and for a convertible (mine) they used a bolt and cage nut in that brace. That's why it looks small, your seeing the cage nut and the 5/8" nut.

Gary

I see. My front brace is like that. Thanks for the pix. The dimensions will help alot.

well im sorta in the same boat as you mike i need to take out my rear brace when i take out the rear seat pans and i need to patch one side of the brace near the driver rocker where it turns down. What is the best way to remove it without damaging it? mine only has one bad spot from what i can see. Thanks a bunch any tips would be great!

tom

Mike; Whar guage metal are you using to repair
your inner rockers
thanks rich

rich
i think the guage metal they use for the body is about 18. i think the rocker is the same as everything else

Tom
I drilled all the spot welds from the floor with a spot weld bit. Where it attaches to the rocker I used an air hammer with a chisel bit (my inner rockers are bad anyway, so I wasn't worried about damaging them). This was all done with the body lifted off the frame and sitting on 4 x 4's just above the frame.

Rich
I'm using 16 gauge for my inner rockers. I compared a piece I cut out to what they had at the sheet metal shop where I got them. It seems they are thicker then the metal used for the outer body panels.

Working on the other end of the floor brace today. Not going quite as good as the other did, but I'm dealing with it. I didn't spend enough time thinking and measuring before I started cutting. :(

Bought a couple of fairly rust free (no holes, very little surface rust) doors today for $225. :D One has a couple small dents. The other is real nice.

Thanks Mike and Tom for the information. I have
a few spots to repair on my inner rockers, but
their going to have to be repaired while the
body sits on the frame. The reason being I
cant lift the body off the frame until I get
some structual integrity. "floorbraces, floorpans
and a rearseat pan. one of my bad spots is where the rear brace attaches to the innerrocker. Owning
a convertible creates a different set of methods
to approach these repairs. I just about filled a notebook with the information i downloaded from
team chevelle members who have been there and done that.

Mike, I just removed one from a car today. It is in great shape. Email me if you are interested.

Is it possible to remove the brace with the body on the frame?

guess not..

Originally posted by Tomb7us:
Is it possible to remove the brace with the body on the frame? It would be really difficult.

i have all the rear wheelwells out and all could i slide it backwards?

Tom, the brace is spot welded in many locations and it also turns downward and is connected to the inside of the rockers. The brace also holds two cage nuts, which are attaching points for frame to body. This means there is a body bushing sandwiched between the brace and the frame. You would need to lift the body to get the bushings out/in.

well i have all the new bushings so im going to be replacing them anways with the body on

Tom,

Will you replace the bushings with the body on? Can you let me know how you plan on doing that? I am very interested in doing it also...

Thanks,
Theo.

Well thats the plan there are alot of other posts here on TC how to do it i think you have to have them all loosend up and then jack up parts of the car to get to the bushing and its very very slow..

Well thats the plan there are alot of other posts here on TC how to do it i think you have to have them all loosend up and then jack up parts of the car to get to the bushing and its very very slow..

I understand that it is possible to replace the bushings without removing the body. Some have done it.

Itn't also possible to replace the underbody braces at the same time? If not, why not?

I've never done it so I am not familiar with what is involved.

Thanks,
Theo.

I'm in the middle of doing this job right now. I have the car blocked up 4" off the frame and up in the air on my lift and have several hours already into drilling spot welds etc. The problem is you cannot reach the spot welds on the inner rocker nor the ones above the frame around the body mount. The only option is to remove the inner quarter panel braces,( triangular pieces from the side to the floor) so you can drill those spot welds out from the top. If the ends are bad where it attaches to the inner rocker you can cut those out but there is les than 2 inches of clearance to work in and then you will need to repair the inner rocker as well. I wish I had the body at least 6 inches above the frame, it would make it easier.

69 doesnt have thoes quarter braces..